Head support device



Nov. 15, 1966 L. CLEVELAND 3,285,658

HEAD SUPPORT DEVICE Filed 001;. 1, 1965 Luce/577.4 (Aswan/v0 F7 4 IJVVENZ'OB ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,285,658 HEAD SUPPORT DEVICE Lucretia Cleveland, 806 Myrtle Ave., Inglewood, Calif. Filed Oct. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 491,960 5 Claims. (Cl. 297-395) My invention relates to a unique head support device that is ideally suited for supporting and retaining the head of the wearer in a comfortable relaxed position against a chair back in a seated or reclined posture.

1 In most surface and air travel conveyances, the passenger spends most of his time in a seat or chair in an upright or slightly inclined position.

Except for very short trips, a passenger will doze or sleep during some part of the trip. Frequently, a passenger must rely on his travel time for his entire rest over the period of a day; his repose being taken in the chair or seat provided on the airplane, bus or railway chair car.

It is common knowledge that even though most commercial carrier seats are inclinable to a degree, no means have been provided thus far that will prevent the head of a sleeping person from lolling from side to side, nodding forwardly, or jerking during the normal movement of the vehicle.

Complaints of tension, neck pain, headache, and general fatigue even after prolonged sleep are common. Very little beneficial rest is ever obtained under the above described conditions.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a support device that supplements the neck and shoulder muscles of the wearer and gently but firmly retains the head in contact with the back rest or cushion of a seat or chair in which the wearer is seated, with the head in normal upright position, allowing the wearer to completely relax and enjoy restful repose in relative comfort.

It is another object of my invention to provide a support device that enables the wearer to relax and sleep while seated in an upright or inclined position that is quickly and easily fastened to the back of substantially any standard vehicle chair or seat.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a head support that can be folded into a very small compact package and carried on the person.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a head support for vehicle passengers that is economical to manufacture, and which is economically sanitized and laundered.

It is still a further object of my present invention to provide a head support that is comfortable to wear, is partially elastic so that travel bumps, sway and pitch are absorbed with little or no discomfort and a minimum of disturbance.

Briefly, the head support of my invention comprises an elongated pad of soft open-mesh fabric material provided at each end thereof with means defining elastic support straps joined together intermediate the pad and their free ends by a cross-band of similar elastic material. When the support straps are fastened at their free ends to the backrest of a chair or seat, the straps being suspended substantially vertically from the point of suspension relative to the backrest, the pad assumes a generally U-shaped loop; the chin of the wearer being placed and firmly supported in the bight, of the loop while the head is gently and firmly maintained in contact with the chair back. The cross-band prevents the vertical portions of the pad and the support straps from spreading apart laterally so that the head of the wearer is supported sidewise as well as forwardly and rearwardly.

My invention will be more fully understood with reference to the ensuing specifications and appended drawings of which FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a preferred embodiment of the head support device of my invention 1n use;

1 FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane indicated by 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the shape and construction of the support device of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the support device of my invention in a preferred embodiment takes the form of an elongated rectangular band or pad 5 of a soft, open-mesh fabric material suspended at each of its ends by a relatively narrow tape or strap 6 fabricated of a strong but moderately elastic material of the general type of rubberized fabric, such as commonly used in the manufacture of female foundation garments, belts and sports attire,,for example.

As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the ends of pad 5 are gathered or folded laterally inwardly from each edge thereof substantially the full width of the material from the respective sides and then doubled back upon itself and sewn or fastened in any convenient manner to the end of its respective support strap 6. To cover the sewing stitches or fastening means, binding tape 11 is placed over the joint of the pad 5 and strap 6 and sewn or otherwise fastened in place.

A cross-brace 9 is fastened at one of its ends to one support strap'6 a desired distance between the pad 5 and the free or attachment end thereof; the other end of crossbrace 9 being fastened to the support strap 6 at the other end of pad 5. Preferably, the length of cross-brace 9 is equal to the width of the average human head. The purpose of the cross-brace 9 is to prevent lateral spreading of the pad 5 and support straps 6, maintaining firm support of the wearers head in the sidewise directions.

The support straps 6 can be fastened at any point to the back of a standard chair or passenger seat 14 by means of suitable fastening means such as a safety-pin 12. It will be appreciated that snap fasteners or the like may be used where the device is adopted as standard equipment by a common carrier.

As best seen in FIG. 5, when straps 6 are fastened to the seat back 14 with the chin pad 5 at the proper height for the wearer, with the chin positioned in the bight of the pad 5, the straps 6 extend angularly rearwardly, positioning the pad 5 more or less over the side of the face and tend to gently pull the head into firm contact with the seat back 14. It is found that the most comfortable rest is obtained if the elastic straps are slightly in tension.

Thus installed and worn, normal movement of the vehicle, i.e., acceleration, deceleration, pitch, bumps, etc. will be absorbed without discomfort or appreciable disturbance to the wearer.

Moreover, substantially all of the weight of the head is removed from the neck, shoulder and back muscle enabling the wearer to enjoy prolonged and qualitative repose during travel time.

It will also be apparent that the foregoing device can be sanitized or laundered as easily as linen and cotton apparel without damage.

(a) a chin support formed of an elongated flexible pad of open mesh fabric material,

(b) elongated strap means joined with the ends of said chin support and fastened at the free ends thereof to said back-rest With said chin support suspended therefrom and assuming the shape of a U-shaped loop, the chin of said person being supported in the bight of said loop, said strap means gently biasing said chin angularly upwardly and rearwardly urging the back of the head into comfortably firm contact with said back-rest whereby the weight of the head is substantially removed from the neck, shoulder and back muscles of the wearer.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 and further including a cross band joined at each end thereof to each of said strap means at a point thereon adjacent to said pad.

3. The combination as recited in claim 2 wherein said cross band is slightly shorter than the width of an average head to be supported whereby the sides of said U-shaped loop are gently urged against the sides of the head supported therein.

4. The combination as recited in claim 3 wherein said cross band is fabricated of an elastic material.

5. In combination with a seat having a back-rest, a head support for a person occupying said seat comprising (a) a chin support formed of an elongated pad of material, (b) elongated strap means extending from each end of said pad and fastened at the free ends thereof to said 5 back-rest with said chin support suspended therefrom and assuming the shape of a U-shaped loop, the chin of said person being supported in the bight of said loop, and

(c) a cross band joined at each end thereof to each of pad.

said strap means at a point thereon adjacent to said References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1926 Wieder et al 297-394 7/1941 Lins 5-327 X 8/ 1957 Wynkoop 5-327 4/ 1958 Thompson 297392 X FOREIGN PATENTS 2/1951 Germany.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner. 2 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A SEAT HAVING A BACK-REST, A HEAD SUPPORT FOR A PERSON OCCUPYING SAID SEAT COMPRISING: (A) A CHIN SUPPORT FORMED OF AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE PAD OF OPEN MESH FABRIC MATERIAL, (B) ELONGATED STRAP MEANS JOINED WITH THE ENDS OF SAID CHIN SUPPORT AND FASTENED AT THE FREE ENDS THEREOF TO SAID BACK-REST WITH SAID CHIN SUPPORT SUSPENDED THEREFROM AND ASSUMING THE SHAPE OF A U-SHAPED LOOP, THE CHIN OF SAID PERSON BEING SUPPORTED IN THE BIGHT OF SAID LOOP, SAID STRAP MEANS GENTLY BIASING SAID CHIN ANGULARLY UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY URGING THE BACK OF THE HEAD INTO COMFORTABLE FIRM CONTACT WITH SAID BACK-REST WHEREBY THE WEIGHT OF THE HEAD IS SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVED FROM THE NECK, SHOULDER AND BACK MUSCLES OF THE WEARER. 